What is a core player? By the simplest definition, it's the guy a team can least afford to lose to an injury. One of the chief concerns about Alabama football this year is depth, which means keeping key players healthy is even more important than normal. With that, BOL presents Alabama's five core players. The most important statistic these players can post in 2007 is a 12 under the games-played column.

1.] QBJohn Parker Wilson - What makes Wilson so valuable to this team? The list is a lengthy one. First, he has 13 career starts and an impressive sophomore season to build on, while the other quarterbacks have a combined total of zero career snaps. That alone makes Wilson indispensable. Beyond that, Wilson will be called on to carry the offense for the second year in a row if the running game does not make significant strides. He has shown the mobility to dodge a sack, and can tuck and run to move the chains as well.